Stryper Checks In From The Road With A New Tour Report

"Hello Everyone! Looking back on the past five months I've realized that I've been a little more on the reserved side regarding updates and staying in touch. To be completely honest, it's been nice being more on the reclusive side but for some reason, I felt inclined to write today, 2/1, and I seem to have a lot on my heart so here goes........

"The tour has been a tug of war so to speak - pros and cons, ups and downs and an exhausting run that has certainly taken its toll physically and emotionally. Although we all enjoy our time on stage sharing the music and the message that God has blessed us with, the road life is very difficult at times and can be quite draining. Plain and simple - it can beat you up! We are all feeling the effects. I’m handling the touring life a little easier these days due to eating healthier, staying conditioned and taking care of myself (or at least trying to). God has taken care of us and answered prayer in terms of keeping us healthy and strong throughout the tour. There has been some sickness here and there but for the most part, by comparison, we've been healthier and stronger this time around.

"The fans have been incredibly supportive and I've asked the same question night after night - ‘How many people have seen Stryper before?’ and ‘How many people have never seen Stryper before?’ Surprisingly, just as many hands, if not more, went up for question number two at every show! I've never personally seen that before and it confirms the incredible number of new fans out there who are following the band. It really is amazing and encouraging to see. I want to give recognition to our crew – Rick Pietila, Dave Allen, John McCormack, Brett Walker, Ellena Sweet and Shane Martin. They worked incredibly hard, despite the circumstances and the bitter cold, and they made this tour work plain and simple. Without them, we would be lost. We love you guys and we are thankful for all that you do! I also want to personally thank each and every one of you who made it out to a show and for your undying support and enthusiasm and for helping us accomplish what we set out to do. We are eternally grateful and we’ll always acknowledge the fact that we are nothing without all of you. Thank you!

"I want to touch on the future of Stryper and give you some insight of things to come and things that may not come. At this point, we should be touring on and off throughout 2010 but possibly not as much as originally planned. Due to unexpected expenses, it is very difficult to continue touring and ‘pay the bills’ and it can become virtually impossible to continue touring, even if the band wants to, and we do! We will do our best to plan and confirm more shows but there is the remote possibility that it may not be as extensive as originally planned.

"I also want to address the possibility of a new Stryper record and any plans to tour in support of a new record. I’m confident that there will be a new record and a tour to follow but we need to make some changes in order to reach our full potential. Stryper has the most loyal, diehard fans around the globe and it amazes me how many fans we have. We see it when we tour and literally thousands upon thousands of fans show up, worldwide! It is astonishing. Unfortunately, the number of people that we see at our shows doesn’t translate to record sales and because of this explainable phenomenon, we will be making appropriate changes in order to advance the band and progress instead of regress. We made one of the best records in the history of the band with ‘Murder By Pride’. The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive and we should be able to build this as we did back in 1984, when we first began. It was a lot of hard work and sacrifice on our part but we saw the band go from clubs to theaters to arenas in a 2-3 year period. I know times have changed and it’s a difficult world in a hurting economy, but I still believe in my heart that the potential of this band is limitless. God has blessed us with a unique, one of a kind ministry and so many lives have been touched, changed and renewed through the power of music and the power of Gods word!!! We are all very proud to have been a part of the past and to be a part of the future of this band and we are excited about the things to come. I know there is so much if we make wise decisions and wise choices in everything that we set out to do from this day forward. It is promising and very, very exciting and I’ve learned over the years to never, ever limit God.

"A video – oh yes! A video? We’ll, we have been making changes in the editing and trying to put together a video that is as visually powerful as it is musically and it just hasn’t panned out quite like we expected it to do. We are working hard to get this video to the point where it will be what it should be. We’re just not there yet. Hopefully we will be soon. Until then, we don’t want to release anything that’s below our expectations or yours. We were always a ‘video’ band and known for our videos so it’s important to us to release something that holds up to our videos of the past. Trust me when I say that we are working hard and we will get it right……….

"And last but certainly not least, I want to personally thank all of you for your kindness, your love, your compassion and your support in my recent marriage to Lisa. After going through the most difficult time of my life, you all have shown me what it means to be a brother, a sister, a friend, and an example of Christ through your words, your smiles, your emails, your posts and your letters. I do so appreciate your love and support and I will always be eternally grateful. You have helped me through what seemed to be the most impossible situation to come out of. May God bless and guide you and I look forward to the future, and to seeing you all very soon!!!"